Shadow of Avarice
by Atrox M
Summary: Eunice tells of her dark tale in the town of Brighton. Murder, corruption and greed infect her world.
1. Corrupted Closure

Shadow of Avarice  
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-Dark fic based in the Animal Crossing universe  
-POV of Eunice the Sheep  
-Rated R  
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It was a gloomy wet day in the town of Brighton, it was that time where the trees began   
to brown and the leaves began to tremble from the very branches that they were latched   
on to, gripping for dear life in the stuttering cold winds. Over the past six months the   
mood around the village was beginning to turn dark. It's not really something I can   
explain in, but a shadow was settling over the land, it was something I could feel in my   
very heart. This is my story...  
  
********************************************  
  
Tom Nook looked drearily at his supplies. With each passing sun and moon they seemed   
to dwindle more and more. I couldn't help but notice how the selection of wallpapers and   
other home ornaments had diminished down to the mere choices of regal wallpaper, and a   
dainty selection of steel assortments. It was dismal to look at.   
  
"I'm sorry there isn't much to choose from, perhaps you'd be interested in this old   
television?" spoke the flustered raccoon as he pointed to an old dusty tele-box. "It can   
only play one channel, but I'm sure it would still go nice with your home?"  
  
I adjusted my scarf a bit as I kneaded my wool in discomfort. The room was cold, he   
must not have been able to afford heating anymore. There was a dark silence as he looked   
at me with cold defeated eyes. There was once a time where we were all happy. A time   
where we'd gather around the wishing well, and frolic in the spring air, but things have   
changed since then. The crickets no longer sang their songs in the night, they no longer   
hopped around in the bright day light, they no longer incited a chase from a fellow   
villager...  
  
"Eunice?" whispered Tom softly as he pressed his hand against my shoulder.   
  
"I'm sorry, yes I suppose I'll take the television set, how much is it?"  
  
"300 bells."  
  
The price was surprisingly much cheaper than I had thought. I felt sorry for him in a way   
as he brushed the remaining clumps of dust off the old beaten set. As I dug around my   
pockets, fishing for the money that I held, I decided to give more than the price that was   
asked of me.   
  
"Here's 400 Tom, I know...I know things have been hard recently."  
  
He took the money quietly nodding, as I took the television out the door without word.   
  
********************************************  
  
I looked around my quiet single roomed dwelling, taking notice of the position my new   
television was in. New was hardly the term I'd use to describe it however. Its wood   
paneling warped and the dust seemed to collect on it faster than it should, giving it a   
beaten weathered look. I sighed for a moment and stepped out into the gray outside   
closing the door behind me softly. I paused for a moment to take in the brisk cool air,   
tightening my scarf a bit to cover me from the icy winds.   
  
In a moment of thought I turned around and locked my door. There was once a time   
where I didn't have to lock my door, but again, things had changed in this village. We   
were no longer a people of smiles and laughter...  
  
Without aim or judgment I began to wander around the forest as there was nothing else to   
do in the gray dreary outside. As I trotted around a bit I could hear voices coming from   
the wishing well, they were angry voices, ones of malevolence and hate. Chastely, I   
stepped through the grass quietly and parted the trees to look over at the well that had   
been dried up for months, merely a stone mouth that no longer whispered in the wind to   
you. There were four figures standing around the stone fountain, Buck the horse, Bitty   
the hippo, Hugh the pig, and Vladimir the bear. They were shouting at someone else who   
I could not see from behind the trees. As my eyes peered over they rested on a horror that   
drew a scream from my throat.  
  
It was Tortimer our mayor...dead.  
  
He was hanging from the tree that was bound to the wishing well. The noose gripped   
tightly around his neck, his body dangling lifeless as the four animals tossed rotten   
peaches at him.   
  
The thoughts that rushed through my head could not comprehend what my eyes were   
seeing. The sweat beaded on my forehead even in the icy air as I stepped backwards into   
the undergrowth hoping they had not seen or heard me.  
  
Why had they done this? What was the reason? Tortimer did not deserve to die. Why   
had they lynched him? These questions screamed in my head as I ran home as fast as my   
legs could carry me. The image of the turtle's dangling lifeless body burned into my   
thoughts as I slammed the door shut behind me. But the comfort of my own home did not   
comfort me at all. The quiet room haunted me, it scared me, it evoked a fear out of me   
that could not be described with words, only feeling. What was happening to me?   
Everything was beginning to fall apart.   
  
I immediately bolted for the door, rushing outside. I had to tell Copper, this was   
something that could not go unheeded. I rushed through the trees, coming to a clearing   
where the river parted the land. The river had dried up months ago during the hot summer,   
and the waters never returned. The river was the life force of this town, and it seemed that   
the dark aura of the village came at the same time the waters evaporated and the riverbeds   
cracked. I hastily darted across the bridge, not slowing down as I ran. I finally came to   
the small gray building of the police station where Copper was standing.   
  
Panting I rushed up to him as he eyed me in suspicion,   
  
"Eunice what's wrong...?"  
  
"Copper! You have to help me, I just witnessed something horrible," I gasped as I   
brushed the sweat off my forehead trying to catch my breath.   
  
"Alright, alright, calm down Eunice, what seems to be the problem."  
  
"Tortimer...he's dead, they...they just killed him!"  
  
"Ok Ok, Eunice, you need to calm down, tell me everything you saw in detail ok?" he   
said as though in disbelief of what I was saying, but I knew I could trust him. His voice   
was reassuring, it had authority.   
  
"Alright..." I whispered calmly between my pants of hot breath. I took in a deep amount   
of icy air into my lungs, letting out a deep sigh afterwards,   
  
"I went to the wishing well, and I saw Buck, Hugh, Bitty and Vladimir...and they were   
throwing peaches at Tortimer...but but Tortimer was dead! He was hanging from the   
wishing well tree from a noose. They they lynched him Copper you have to believe me!"  
  
He looked at me with squinting eyes for a moment before shaking his head.   
  
"Let me tell you something Eunice, that bastard deserved it."  
  
I gasped at what I was hearing, it was though reality was warping right before my very   
eyes as I watched the uniformed canine clench his teeth at me.   
  
"Look around you, the well dried up ages ago, the trees are dying, the very life force of   
the village is draining, and it's all his fault. Can't you see that?" he growled.  
  
My face twisted in confused shock, I had no idea what he was talking about, it didn't   
make sense to me. What would Tortimer have to do with the life force of the village   
being drained?  
  
"Copper, what are you saying?"  
  
"What I'm saying is, he was killing us Eunice. He lived as a rich tortoise, comforted by   
his wealth, while we suffer down here, struggling with our own two paws and hooves. Do   
you think that's fair?"  
  
"But why kill him?!" I snapped back, my confusion turning towards anger. "Why?!" The answers   
I was getting did not justify the means. I wanted a real reason, a real answer. I had to know   
the truth.   
  
"You ask too many questions...as a matter of fact, you're pretty well off yourself..." he   
muttered as his demeanor turned more vicious.   
  
I saw his paw reach for his bayonet as I slowly took a step backwards. A pang of fear   
shot through my stomach. I was completely unprepared for what would happen next, the   
pain searing across my face as he swiped his bludgeoning weapon repeatedly. I collapsed   
to the ground in agony as I felt my body go numb. He was striking me from above now,   
each hit becoming stronger and more vicious with each pass. What had I done to deserve   
this pain? What had I done? I screamed my thoughts.  
  
Eventually the striking ceased as my body laid broken on the stone ground. My vision   
went blurry as my head laid sideways, looking at the horizon that was now turned vertical.   
With a loud clanging noise I heard the bloody bayonet drop to the ground as I watched   
his black boots walk away from me. I felt a tear of crimson trickle from my lips, the   
world turned black before me, but my eyes did not close...  
  
********************************************  
  
"Is she dead?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Is she sleeping, when will she be awake?"  
  
"Yes...soon..."  
  
I kept my eyes closed as I listened to the muffled voices around me. Out of fear I was   
afraid to open them...I did not want to see where I had gone, the question of death was   
answered with a no, so it was not a fear of death, but a fear of life...  
  
Out of burning curiosity I opened one of my eyes to see where I was. I was lying on a   
table, a blinding bright light shone on my face obscuring my vision with luminosity.   
  
"Hey her eyes are open!" shouted the voice. I recognized it now, it was one of the Able   
sisters. I would have known the shrill porcupine voice from anywhere, I immediately   
clenched my eyes shut in reflex.  
  
"Too late Eunice I saw you," came a deeper growling voice as I felt a paw grab my neck,   
pulling me forward with a sharp tug.   
  
I jerked my eyes open to see Vladimir a few inches from my face.  
  
"Alright you little bitch, you will soon learn your place," he roared as he yanked me off   
the table dragging me to the floor.   
  
The blood in my head pounded as my body ached, still sore from the bayonet hits from   
Copper. I felt my body scrape against the marble tiled floor of the dimly lit lobby...I   
was in...the museum?   
  
"Alright bring the specimen in," came another voice, this time it was chirpy and eloquent   
sounding. As Vladimir let go of me I jerked my head around to see Blathers holding a   
large knife. The blade glinted under a small beam of sunlight that came in through the   
highly perched windows.   
  
"Wh...wh...what are you doing with me?" I sobbed trying to hold back my tears of   
anxiety and fear.  
  
"Oh it's wonderful Eunice, we're creating a new section of the museum. It's very special,   
and only very special people go there. People like you and Tortimer!"  
  
"...A gallery of dead animals?! You sick bastard!" I shouted, this time the tears poured   
from eyes, no longer being held back.  
  
Blathers let out a shrieking laugh, one I had never heard evoked from him before, it was   
haunting and made the wool on the back of my neck stand on end.   
  
"Yes my dear Eunice, as you see the museum hasn't been getting much money, just like   
the rest of this shithole town. I'm sure you've noticed how everything's decayed recently.   
We can thank our lovely mayor Tortimer for that, God rest his soul."  
  
I was at a loss for words, I had no idea how to respond to the insanity that was ensuing as   
I eyed Vladimir and Mable standing over me.  
  
Blathers kneeled next to me as I rested on the floor, no longer willed to sit up out of mere   
defeat.   
  
"Hopefully our new collection will bring in some money to the town?" he whispered   
malevolently.  
  
I looked up at the ceiling ignoring him, I no longer had a will to live, it was over. This   
was the end.  
  
"After you die Eunice I'm sure your personal belongings will garner us a lovely amount   
of bells, will it not?"  
  
"So that is what this is about? It's about money?" I spat, jerking my head up.  
  
"Oh hmm, well when you put it that way, yes. Tortimer was quite the rich bastard was he   
not? Why should he live in opulence while the rest of us fend for our lives off of peaches   
and cherries? No, that is not what living is about. I will not stand by and grovel in the   
weeds while he lives in comfort...we are a community, and I will make sure to balance   
out the wealth status as I please."  
  
"Greed," I whispered in defeat.  
  
"What's that Eunice?" he questioned in haughty curiosity.  
  
"I said greed, this is what it's all about..."  
  
"Enough chatter," came Copper's voice as he entered the room, his boots clicking against   
the floor as he calmly walked towards us. "I got her house keys, everything of hers is   
ours. We are free to kill her Blathers."  
  
Mable turned around towards Copper with a mischievous smile, "I saw that she bought a   
new television today I'm going to get that," she said as she rung her hands in anticipation.   
  
Blathers slammed his yellow talons against the marble floor with a loud clang, "Quiet, all   
of you, we will discuss who gets what after she's dead...any last words Eunice?" he   
added as he pointed his knife towards me.  
  
I laid my head against the cold floor as my mind filled with the anticipation of death. It   
was all ironic in my mind. How things went from being so great to collapsing into a void   
of chaos and greed...  
  
"Only this," I spoke softly, continuing to look up at the vaulted ceiling of the museum   
lobby in a trance of thoughts. "After I'm dead, you will all turn on each other as you've   
turned on Tortimer and I, and whatever other poor soul you've done this too...you will   
all see."  
  
With an air of finality he leaned over me, brandishing the knife under his wing, "We shall   
see my dear Eunice."  
  
The last memory I have was seeing the blade dig into my chest repeatedly, over and over,   
the blood spraying over my face in vicious streams as I heard the cackling laughters of   
Mable, Copper and Vladimir, but I did not cry or scream, I merely smiled up towards the   
sky as I could see it through the ceiling that was now translucent. The clouds rushed   
towards me taking me upwards in their soft blanket of comfort. It was all so peaceful and   
relieving to be lifted away from life. As my mind drifted into the void of death, I knew   
in my heart that they would all get paid their own deaths in the end.  
  
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Possibly the start of a series, shall the story be continued? Depends on the reviews...  
  
UPDATE: 4-19-03, Serebii37: The Angered Goomba, thanks for pointing out that Mortimer  
Tortimer mix up, I have no idea how I managed that one. (lol) 


	2. Whispers from the Forest

Chapter 2: Whispers from the Forest  
  
- 6 months before Eunice's death [3rd person POV]  
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"Ah another glorious day," cried Eunice to herself as she opened her door and took a   
light-footed step outside.   
  
She could hear the beautiful crickets sing their song under the pink dawn light. The trees   
rustled softly in the fresh summer breeze. Watching the orange clouds run away from the   
sunrise she knew this was happiness, to hear nature's song dance through her ears. This   
was contentment, listening to the crystal waters lap against the riverside peacefully with   
the cool dew soaked air.   
  
"Let me think, what do I need to do today," she spoke out loud to herself as she shut the   
wood paneled door behind her. "Hmm, well I did get that letter the other day about Tom   
Nook having that sale, maybe I should see what's good today."   
  
And with that she began her trek through the trees, stepping across the rocks where they   
rested softly in the green green grass, tip toeing through Rover's lawn as to not wake him   
as he stood there with his eyes calmly shut. He usually fell asleep outside, and never in the   
comfort of his own house. It was always fun for the villagers to poke fun at him about that common   
quirk he had when it came to his sleeping habits. Finally she came across Nook's shop after   
passing by the warmly lit post office. Peeking from around a tree she saw that it had just opened.   
With anticipation she entered through the sliding door into Nookington's, taking in the   
contemporary fluorescent light as she took her steps.   
  
"Ah, Eunice, lovely seeing you again," came a voice from behind the counter. It was   
Tom who was adjusting his apron appropriately presenting himself as the store's owner.   
"Is there anything I can help you with today?"  
  
"Oh, no, nothing in particular, I did hear about that sale that you wrote about in your   
daily letter."  
  
"Ah yes that," he chimed with a brightened smile. "I'm offering some excellent prices on   
this regal wallpaper and flooring, care to take a look at it spread out?"  
  
"Certainly," replied Eunice with an equally warm smile.  
  
As he spread out the golden flooring against the basic tile of the store, she knew   
immediately that she wanted it.   
  
"Oh that will be enough Tom," she joked. "I'll definitely take it."  
  
He quickly rolled up the flooring into its usual green cylinder, "Wonderful, it's only 120   
bells today."  
  
After handing him over the golden sac of currency, she placed the wallpaper inside her   
clothing hurriedly with excitement.   
  
"I can't wait to see how this looks in my home. Tom, you never cease to disappoint me."  
  
He chuckled softly, adjusting his apron a bit, "Oh Eunice, you're too kind, I'm only here   
to please the town folk with my modest selections."  
  
She flashed another smile as she stepped out the door. Today really was going excellent   
she thought. Tom Nook is such a nice man, a real winner in the town. The village was a   
warm place to be in at this moment in time, and Eunice knew she was glad to be apart of   
it.   
  
******************************************************  
*A few hours later*  
  
Shutting the door behind her again, she was greeted by a familiar face. It was her   
neighbor Mitzi.  
  
"Hello Eunice! Going for your afternoon walk?" she cooed from across the green grass   
while chasing a cricket.  
  
"Oh certainly not," joked Eunice as she opened her umbrella to cover herself from the   
searing hot summer sun. "I don't want to give myself another stroke!"  
  
Mitzi laughed and carried on with her cricket chasing, pouncing across a rock and into   
her flowers.  
  
She watched as the feline muddled through them, tearing the tulips and dandelions to   
shreds, I'll have to get those replaced she thought, but they were not thoughts of   
contempt, but of humor. It was a peaceful sight to watch, almost simplistic, a cat   
entertaining herself by a simple insect in a meadow. Too bad her flowers had to fall   
victim, Eunice thought with a small chuckle.  
  
As she strolled across the rickety wood bridge and past the small waterfall that ushered   
its daily mantra of splashing water and crystal specks of moist droplets across the rocks,   
she heard a voice from behind the trees.  
  
"It's very serious...he can't allow......it's just wrong..." came the muffled barely   
audible voice.   
  
With careful footsteps, Eunice edged herself closer to the densely packed trees to hear the   
conversation more clearly.  
  
"Tortimer cannot tax the villagers like this, it is disgraceful," added another voice. It was   
Blathers. She would have recognized the hooty chime from anywhere. She pressed herself   
against the trees even further, keeping herself concealed, but still close enough to listen in   
on the hushed voices clandestinely.  
  
"It is hard enough to maintain the museum on current funding, now what am I supposed   
to do?"  
  
Taxing the villagers? Eunice thought. That seemed somewhat odd for the town of   
Brighton. Why would Tortimer want more money?  
  
"Greed Eunice."  
  
Oh no! Did I say my thoughts out loud? screamed Eunice in her mind.  
  
"You don't have to hide from us Eunice, it's quite alright for you to join the   
conversation," continued Blathers' cooing voice.  
  
Slowly, Eunice stepped around the trunk of the tree to see Mable, Vladimir, and Blathers   
all standing in a circle looking at her. At this point, she felt somewhat silly, having been   
hiding behind a tree and eavesdropping on three of her village acquaintances.   
  
"I'm so sorry, I thought I heard something from the forest, and I came closer to listen, I   
didn't mean to intrude."  
  
"Oh not at all Eunice, you're always welcome to talk with us," said Mable with a smile as   
she twiddled with one of her quills. "Have you heard about Tortimer's recent tax plan for   
the village?" she added with a slightly darker tone.  
  
"Oh...uh, no I haven't," replied Eunice. "Listen, I'm late for an afternoon meeting with   
my friend Mitzi...I'm going to have to go."  
  
Vladimir crossed his arms in his usual annoyed looking manner, "Ah, that's alright   
Eunice, however come over anytime you want to talk." His demeanor was harsh looking,   
but his tone friendly as usual. He might have been a brute looking bear, but he had the   
capability of sounding amiable.   
  
"Ok, thanks guys, see you later." And with that, Eunice stepped back into the bright   
sunny light and away from the shadows of the forest's edge.  
  
As she moved away slowly from the trees, re-opening her umbrella, she could hear Mable   
whisper in her soft chirpy voice...  
  
"How much do you think she heard?"  
  
"Not nearly enough," replied Blathers in an equally hushed whisper.  
  
Hear what? thought Eunice. Something was very odd around here...  
  
*******************************************  
*The next day*  
  
Another day without rain, she thought as she stared at her wilting flowers. I swear, things   
are going to have to change around here if they're going to stay good, she continued in   
her mind, quietly thinking to herself under the hot beating sun.  
  
Glancing ahead Eunice saw that the water level of the river seemed to have dropped   
some showing off the sandy riverbank that used to be hidden under the crystal blue water.   
Perking her ears up a bit, she noticed the distant waterfall no longer had its usual   
powerful rumble, but instead a softer trickle, a weaker cry from its previous roar.   
  
"This is all very strange," she whispered to her brown stained tulips.  
  
"Whoo it sure is hot!" shouted Tangy from across the lawn, "Almost as hot as my new   
fruity furniture selection," she added with a squeaky laugh that made Eunice cringe a bit.  
  
"Good afternoon Tangy, yes it has been quite warm these days. I'm also having a hard   
time remember the last time it rained. I hope we're not heading into a drought," she said   
with a worried tone in her voice.  
  
"Well, it looks like it Eunice! Heat plus no rain? I'd say that was a drought," belted   
Tangy with a gleeful smile.   
  
Nothing seemed to bother her as she nodded to Mitzi with a quirky smile who was walking by,  
making an arc shaped path to avoid close contact with the exceptionally giddy feline.  
  
With a smirk, Mitzi strolled across the yellowing grass and leaned against Eunice, "I   
think Tangy's had to much sun, it's getting to her orange shaped head," she panted while   
wiping a sweat drop from one of her whiskers.  
  
"So is the sun getting to y..."  
  
"TAX COLLECTION!" came a howling voice that abruptly cut off the heat stressed   
feline.  
  
"What the hell was that?!" cried Eunice as she swerved around.  
  
Her eyes immediately laid upon Copper who was waving a large bag that appeared to   
have quite a few bells in it.   
  
"Oh! What's this all about?" cried Tangy with her usual plastered happy tone.  
  
Mitzi let out an annoyed heat induced groan, "They're coming to take our money."  
  
Oh that's nice, thought Eunice as she watched Tangy mindlessly dig through her bag of   
bells. With her usual delirious smile the orange headed cat deposited a small gold coin   
into Copper's burlap bag.  
  
"There you go! I hope that covers it!" she exclaimed joyfully as though unaware of the   
civil robbery that had just occurred right in front of her face.  
  
With a grunt, he threw the bag over his shoulder, "I'm beginning to hate this job," he   
panted as he approached Eunice and her feline friend. "Alright, what about you two."  
  
"How much do we have to pay?" questioned Mitzi with suspicion.  
  
Copper readjusted the bag to shift his weight around. It looked awfully heavy as he   
gasped for more of the hot summer air.   
  
"Just 200 bells for now, I don't know, it could change in the future."  
  
Mitzi pulled out her purse and unclasped the golden snap with a grumble. She dug her   
paw around the contents with frustration. She did not like having her well deserved money   
being taken like this.   
  
"Alright here it is, but just so you know, this is as much as a well caught catfish."  
  
Copper took the bells quickly and tossed them into the bag, "Hey, don't shoot the   
collector, it's Tortimer who started this whole thing."  
  
Mitzi scratched her nose, shooing away an evening mosquito as the sun was nearing the   
horizon, "Tortimer eh?" she paused for a moment in thought. "I see, well, we'll have to   
bring this up with him huh Eunice? I mean, I don't really see the point of having taxes.   
I'd think this town does just fine and dandy without them."  
  
Without answering, Eunice simply nodded as she watched a brown leaf wither off a dead   
looking tree. Glancing around the orange bathed meadow she saw that many trees were   
brown, one after the other...all brown...all dying...  
  
"Is this the beginning of the end to the better times?" she whispered.  
  
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Sort of a prefix to the earlier installment. This series might jump around a bit timeline   
wise...we'll see. Thanks for reading! 


	3. The Last Insinuation

Part III: The Last Insinuation  
  
- One week before Eunice's death [1st person POV]  
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I can't do this anymore. The pain, the hatred, the lying. It all hurts too much. This village   
was founded on the principles of trust and empathy, at least that's what Tortimer used to   
tell me. But now...I don't know what I should think anymore. This is a black society, a   
black reality. A black darkness is encroaching upon us and I fear I cannot hide from it.   
Help me strength. Help me truth. Help me life...There is a shrouded dagger I fear, and it   
has the bloody stain of greed splashed on its blade.  
  
**************************************  
  
There was a briskly strong wind, not one that instilled a pleasurable smile, but one that   
tore at you with its strength. I slammed the door behind me, the past few days had been   
down-right horrible. The tax collection service that Tortimer was trying to enforce was   
not working. I remember just last week a few villagers went to the waterfall and dumped   
all their money into the river in protest. Such chaos, I used to think that we were a happy   
people. But we are not.   
  
"Hello Eunice." Mitzi stepped towards me, apprehensively looking around as she usually   
had been doing these past few weeks. There were some reports of muggings in the forest   
at night. Shocking to think, we were such a quaint village, yet there were those being   
robbed within the confines of the animal crossing. I had learned carefully the past few   
moons that I should lock my door whenever I leave. Several months ago this would have   
been thought of as unthinkable in the village of Brighton. But now...times are different.   
  
"Good afternoon Mitzi," I lightly drawled my words as I turned the lock on my door.   
"How are things?"  
  
She shook her head, something was awfully wrong with her. She was usually cheery,   
even in the recent times of darkness. But now she held an aura of distress over her.  
  
"I don't know anymore," she shook her head as I could make out tears pouring down her   
white fur. I felt a bolt of empathy shoot inside of me as I watched her sob. What had   
happened I thought, what had happened to make this poor woman cry?   
  
"Why are you crying Mitzi?"  
  
She merely shook her head, resistant to tell me.   
  
"Tell me Mitzi, I must know. We are friends remember."  
  
She kicked the dirt at the ground, biting her lip to hold back her tears of anguish.   
  
"Did someone hurt you?" I questioned with a hardened tone in my voice. I knew that this   
could be the case. I had never seen her this distraught before and it worried me. I knew   
she had started seeing Vladimir the past few days, and something inside of me told me   
not to trust him. I didn't want to trust him. He frightened me. There has been talk of   
conspiracy against Tortimer, from Vladimir specifically, and it all incites fear from my   
soul.   
  
"It's Vladimir."  
  
I knew it I thought as she sat down and cried in the yellowing grass. The gray sky   
moaned down an impure drizzle of misery as I stood and watch her wail in agony. Mitzi   
was all I had right now. I needed her to be strong for me. I needed her on my side.   
  
"Did Vladimir hurt you?"  
  
She merely nodded her head between sobs. Her eyes were outlined by reddened puffiness   
as each tear soaked her fur even further with the soft drizzle. It was too much for me to   
bear, I gritted my teeth in anger. Whatever he did to her, she did not deserve it, but as I   
came closer something laid upon my eyes that drew a gasp from my throat. She looked   
up at me with a haunting welt on the side of her face. The black bruised skin engorged   
above her fur making me cringe.   
  
"There's no more money Eunice, we're broke. I don't know what to do!"   
  
I ran up to her and embraced her as it was all I could do. My hug was all she had right   
now, I could not let her destroy herself because of her depression or because of her   
domestic problems. But I was scared. Scared of what was happening. It was funny, but it   
seemed all this recent pain stemmed from money. An irony that played in my mind.   
  
"Mitzi you can always stay with me. I don't want you near Vladimir anymore."  
  
She gasped in fear, "Oh no, I couldn't do that, he'd be so mad at me. I'm supposed to be   
selling peaches right now too. Gotta sell peaches Mitzi, you gotta sell peaches!" She   
hysterically sobbed into my shoulder.  
  
"Mitzi, don't ever feel pressured by Vladimir to do anything." As I uttered my words of   
wisdom and comfort, she swiftly got up, and began to step backwards away from me. It   
was as though I had become something to fear as well.   
  
"Eunice, I can't stay and talk anymore, I have to go."  
  
She rushed off into the trees, still distraught and wiping tears from the cruel drizzling rain.   
I was definitely worried, I feared for her. But did I fear for her life? At the time I didn't.  
  
**************************************  
  
The blaring of the telephone woke up me up with stark punctuality, pulling me from my   
slumber. I looked over at the classic rotary style appliance, picking it up meekly. It must   
have been 3 o'clock in the morning. Who in their right mind would call at this hour?  
  
"H...Hello?"  
  
"Eunice, the ones who desire money will kill you."  
  
The phone clicked dead as my heart shot into my throat. A rumbling of thunder could be   
heard in the distance as I looked around the room. The shadows plastering twisted images   
on the wall. I could see myself in those shadows. I could see a knife raised up towards me   
behind my curtains. Lightning flashed for a brief second, highlighting an owl's face. The   
beak clearly defined. A shiver of goose bumps slithered up my neck as the resounding   
thunder followed shortly after. I needed a drink.  
  
Stepping gingerly down the stairs, I peered into the kitchen. The quietness of my house   
frightened me. It terrified me. Someone had just called me, it was a voice, male, but who?   
At three in the morning, who would call me? I opened the refrigerator, there was a half   
empty bottle of milk and a circular cut of cheese. I took the bottle, and left the cheese   
where it was. It had been there for weeks. I still hadn't made up for my losses incurred   
from Tortimer's tax system over the past few weeks.  
  
Another flash of lightening lit up the room. I realized that I was sitting in darkness, I   
reached for the light switch, quickly flicking it, but nothing happened. The power must   
have gone out, it was not raining outside though, just the fluster of thunder and lightening   
blanketing the terrain in quick bursts of sound and light.  
  
I felt uncomfortable in my own home. I took the bottle of milk with me back up stairs,   
placing it on my small modern end table. I poured myself into the sheets letting the   
comforting fabric take me in its arms. I needed to be held and right now the only arms I   
had were those of my soft downy blankets. Goodnight, shadows. Goodnight fear.  
  
**************************************  
  
I stepped outside the next morning, to a strange sight. Copper was talking to Vladimir in   
front of his house which was across the field from my dwelling. I stepped back behind   
the door, choosing to peak from around the hinged barrier instead of openly watching. He   
looked angry. Copper was waving his hands around in temper. Vladimir was shrugging   
his shoulders. Something had happened...  
  
Where was Mitzi?  
  
I had to find out. With determination, I marched towards Copper as he walked away from   
Vladimir's closing door. He took notice of me, giving me an emotionless nod.  
  
"Copper wait!"  
He looked back at me grimly, "Yes Eunice, what is it?" he mumbled as though frustrated   
by my presence.  
  
"Did something happen? I must know, is it Mitzi?"  
  
He looked around the field as though vulnerable to the surroundings before returning his   
fixating glare back on me.   
  
"I must say Eunice, you must possess a knowledge we are all unaware of. Are you sure   
you want to hear this?"  
  
I nodded my head in anticipation. His tone suggested something malevolent, evil, dark.   
Something horrible had happened, I knew it. My nerves were shot with suspense as he   
looked around as though fumbling for the right words.   
  
"Mitzi is dead."  
  
I gasped.  
  
"Her body was found at the bottom of the waterfall last night during the storm. We are   
still trying to figure out what happened."  
  
It was all I needed to hear, I ran towards my home as swiftly as I could. I couldn't   
remove the mental image of Mitzi from my mind. She was strong brave, but now gone. It   
was pointless to remorse for her, it was pointless to wish her to return to life because she   
was not in our lives anymore. She was dead. I, as who I was, was neither compounded   
nor capable of comprehending the complexities of death. I lived in a village, nay, a reality   
where death was something that only happened to those who were old and feeble. Not to   
those who were young and vibrant as Mitzi was. The only time I had ever lost a friend   
before was when they took the train to the next town over and set up residence there,   
never to the clutches of death.   
  
What happened? Or better yet, how and who?  
  
I glanced at Copper who was walking away with his head down before glancing over at   
Vladimir's house. Mitzi was so distraught the day before because of something he had   
done to her. It only connected in my mind that he was involved with her demise. I paced   
towards his door, finality in my steps. I was going to get an answer whether it took all my   
strength or not. Before my tightened fist could reach the door to knock, it opened   
abruptly. Vladimir's burly figure filling the archway.   
  
"Excuse me," he grunted as he stepped around me.   
  
I merely stood there, unable to say anything as he passed by after closing his door. What   
was wrong with me? I was so stupid. All I had to do was stop him and ask him about   
Mitzi. I felt awfully inept in that moment. But I had another idea...  
  
**************************************  
  
"You again?" questioned Copper from behind his desk in the police station. Usually he   
stood out front but for now he was overlooking documents on Mitzi inside. There was not   
much on her, just a title deed to her house, birth certificate and an old defunct tax form.   
  
I swam in my thoughts to try and come up with what to say. I didn't want to sound obtuse,   
but if I didn't say anything then I was going to lose my chance as usual.   
  
"I have to find out what happened to Mitzi."  
  
He paused in his studies, and glanced up at me. A stressfully annoyed expression hung on   
his canine visage.  
  
"As do I, It's my job thank you very much."  
  
He returned to his intent studying of the documents with a magnifying glass, ignoring me   
as I stood there.   
  
"Can you tell me what you know so far?"  
  
"Yea, she was quite rich and that's about it," he absently muttered as he flipped over the   
papers. Snapping back to the realization of my presence, he looked up. "Why don't you   
go bother someone else Eunice, I have work to do."  
  
I turned around to find Booker flat up against me. I nearly stepped on his toes because he   
was so close.   
  
"Why are you following me?" I questioned in aggravation.  
  
He merely muttered something I couldn't hear in response. I gave up and stormed out of   
the station. I have never been more rudely treated in my entire life I thought as I fumed in   
anger. However there was something that peculiarly caught my attention as I walked   
through the forest back home. Copper had said in the station that Mitzi...  
  
...was rich.   
  
If she was rich, then why would she had told me yesterday that she was broke? Where did   
her money go? Did someone steal the money, then kill her because she found out what   
happened? Was it...Vladimir?  
  
**************************************  
  
Unfortunately as I look back on my life, I died before I ever got the answers. And in my   
death, I found out there was a much larger puzzle at hand. The questions that pervaded my mind   
before were pointless considering the larger aspect of the situation. My only hope is that a   
traveler from afar can come to the village of Brighton and discover the truth of malice and greed   
under this village's foundation. The evil must be uprooted and my only regret is that I   
was unable to stop it.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Alright, got the first three parts done! Thanks to those who have read and reviewed so far.   
This story has been fun, and I only hope it gets more enjoyable as time goes on. 


	4. Arrival Shock

Part IV: Arrival Shock  
  
- Three weeks after the death of Eunice  
- [1st POV of Sarah, a human newcomer]  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
So here I was, reclined in the green padded seat of this boxcar train, looking out the   
window. I was headed towards a new home, but where? My last decisive thought was   
simply boarding this wood framed locomotive to take me wherever its tracks lay. I was   
starting a new life in a new town, I just didn't know the answer of where and how...yet   
that is.  
  
"Hello, mind if I sit here? I promise I'm not crazy"  
  
I eyed the eager looking male, sweater clad, feline suspiciously as his tail bobbed up and   
down. It was somewhat annoying to be disturbed while contemplating myself, but at the   
same time I was a little anxious to talk to someone on this mundane ride. I nodded to him   
with a weak smile before he took the seat across from me graciously.  
  
"Thanks, it's nice meeting friendly people on this train," He paused, eyes straining at the   
floor, "I can't put my finger on it, but it seems recently things haven't been too bright in   
this region."  
  
I merely looked at him with a falsely quizzical glance, hearing only half the words he   
uttered. His eyes darted around oddly, he seemed apprehensive of something, perhaps the   
subject he was touching on?  
  
"So what's your name?"  
  
He found a new subject.  
  
"Sarah."  
  
"What an odd name."   
  
There was a silence for a moment as he sat there looking at me, at first he appeared as   
though he were going to laugh, but his face snapped into a disappointed frown. I glanced   
at him without amusement. This character was beginning to bore me a bit.  
  
"I'm Rover."   
  
I nodded in response.   
  
"This is the train to Brighton, so I assume you are heading towards that village?" he   
questioned.  
  
My boredom was quelled, I sat up to listen, folding my arms. I knew the train was headed   
towards that village, but I had never been there, nor did I know a thing about it.   
  
"Things have been...not too good, I would say." He paused again mid-sentence,   
collecting himself quickly, flashing a dim smile at the wall next to him. "I'm sorry, I get a   
little distracted sometimes when I think."  
  
I nodded, looking out the window at the passing trees.   
  
"I'm moving there," I said out to the green foliage that blurred by the glass pane, but my   
words were directed towards him.   
  
"Are you? Do you know where you'll be living?"  
  
I shook my head, still taking in the landscape through the window.   
  
His eyes widened as I turned my head to look at him.  
  
"You don't know where you're going to stay? Somewhat of a risk to take wouldn't you   
say? Considering the fact of the recent state of things, especially in Brighton."  
  
I didn't know what he was talking about, but he was right about me not having a place to   
stay. As the thought continued to pervade my mind, I realized that I was taking a risk. I   
was a young woman, traveling alone. I suppose, in a way, I was lucky to have Rover to   
talk to. I'd feel uncomfortable if I didn't have him across from me, as finding   
companionship in the most obscure environments, such as this rickety train, can be   
reassuring especially since I was on my own now.  
  
"I have a friend who owns a store in Brighton, I can talk to him for you. Maybe he can   
help you out with getting a roof over your head. I don't think you'd want to be homeless   
your first day in a new village."  
  
I thanked him quietly, maybe he wasn't so grating after all. His amiableness was most   
comforting. I watched him as he walked down the aisle, shutting the compartment door   
behind him as he used the portable phone onboard. He simply nodded and shook his head   
as I listened to the muffled conversation. I felt a bit odd taking a favor from a complete   
stranger, but he seemed more than eager to help this poor girl out.   
  
I chuckled at myself, leaning comfortably into the green cushions on my seat. He   
returned with a smile.   
  
"Did you miss me?"  
  
No.  
  
"Yes," I replied friendly enough to please him.  
  
"Well, you're in luck, it turns out my friend has some new houses for sale that are fairly   
cheap. He just got them built in town and needs a few renters. You have money right?"  
  
I blushed a little as I felt my pocket. I knew I only had a hand bag of a thousand bells. It   
was most likely not enough to cover the favor I was being offered.   
  
"Of course."  
  
He flashed a beaming grin, "Wonderful. You know, I don't know why I was feeling   
down earlier, maybe things in Brighton will get better now that you'll be arriving;   
speaking of arriving, looks like we're pulling into the station."  
  
I looked out the window as we slowed down, the trees passing lazily with the descending   
speed.   
  
"Looks like this is goodbye," I said calmly, brushing myself off.   
  
"Yes...hopefully we'll see each other again soon? Good-bye Sarah, and good luck."  
  
As the door opened and I stepped out, his words felt a bit odd to me. They had too much   
finality to them. Everything so far had felt fine, but his last phrase of spoken word to me   
stirred a strange sensation in my stomach. Something was eerily wrong with this picture.   
  
I waved to him absently as I stepped out onto the platform. The icy winter wind quickly   
nipped at me with biting teeth.   
  
"Brighton...welcome to Brighton," came a screechy voice from beside me. It was a   
meekly mannered monkey standing in his neatly pressed uniform. For some strange   
reason he sounded almost...nervous to speak, his words shaky with tension. Did the name   
of this town incite fear inside him? I nodded in his direction as I walked through the   
station arch and out onto the stone path. A voice from a far quickly caught my attention.   
  
"Excuse me?" I looked up, a somewhat burley raccoon paced towards me. He was clad in   
a simple convenience store apron that covered him appropriately.   
  
"Would your name happen to be Sarah?"  
  
I nodded affirmatively.   
  
"I'm Tom Nook, I run the store here in town."   
  
He was insatiably nervous, his eyes darted from left to right frantically. It was all very   
distracting as I watched him carefully. His mannerisms puzzled me, what was he afraid of?   
It was as though he expected someone to leap out at him any second.   
  
Before I knew it, we were looking at the simplistic one room homes, but I wasn't   
listening to his voice. Instead I was watching his movements. They continued to irk me.   
His sweaty palms, his perspiring forehead, an incredible oddity in the brisk ice chill of   
winter air. He fumbled through his keys and pressed one to a doorknob on a house. Locks?   
That was odd, I had never seen a village with locks on their doors. I used to think that   
locks were only for banks and post offices. I suppose in Brighton, things were a   
little...different. The troubled feelings returned.   
  
He clicked open the door to the bare naked room. A simple radio, a box and a diary   
ordained the steel floored, wood paneled dwelling. It was indeed, cozy. I felt that it would   
do, so I nodded to him appreciatively. I was quite tired by now and I wanted somewhere   
to sleep as soon as possible. However I don't think I'd have a comfortable night tonight   
on the steel floor as it was too soon to buy any furniture. I'd have to wait till tomorrow   
morning.   
  
He handed me the key which I quickly pocketed. "That will be 19,800 bells."  
  
Oh hell, the money! I screamed in my mind.  
  
I meekly handed him my gold bag of bells. I knew there were only a thousand inside, but   
it was all I had.  
  
"Sarah."  
  
I looked away. His voice held a tone of disappointment.  
  
"This is not nearly enough, you only have a thousand bells with you?"  
  
"Oh a thousand bells sounds VERY nice!" A shouting voice erupted from the trees,   
catching my attention. But before I could blink an arrow pierced straight through the   
raccoon in front of me with a spray of crimson, the wooden spear poking out his chest.   
He gave me a pained look of shock before I heard the clang of money hitting the ground.   
He had dropped the bag of bells, the coins showering over the gray cobblestone in an   
entropy dance of chaos. He collapsed to the stoned earth in front of me with a strained   
grunt of pain. I didn't know what to think, I couldn't react. I was stunned, shocked,   
horrified. My jaw hung in an open mouth expression of alarm. I succinctly jerked my   
head down to see a splatter of blood on my floral print dress. It was not my own blood,   
but that of Tom's.   
  
Another arrow whirred past my head, piercing into the wooden door behind me with the   
splintering sound of metal stabbing hard timber. I threw myself into the nearby trees,   
picking myself off the ground in reflex and running away as fast as I could. My thoughts   
were a blur, I couldn't think straight, only the repeating image of an arrow ripping   
through Tom's body could flicker through my mind.   
  
"What kind of godforsaken place is this?"  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


	5. Escapism

Part V: Escapism  
  
[1st POV through Sarah – 143 seconds later]  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
After running for what seemed like several minutes, I had to stop to catch my breath. All   
I could do was think about running. Running away, it was what I was doing when I came   
here and it was what I was doing after I came here. There was just...no point in killing   
that raccoon man, that Tom Nook. He didn't do anything, he didn't...God dammit all, my   
thoughts were incoherent now, unable to think logically of anything for there was no   
logic in this.   
  
I looked around carefully. I was deep in the forest among nothing but the trees. Night was   
falling soon, there was no way I could go back to the houses that raccoon was trying to   
sell me. It was too dangerous. I figured to myself that I should take up rest among the   
trees. I looked at the ground which was a combination of mud and grass. That wouldn't   
do, so I quickly got my footing on the trunk of a tree and started to climb. I wasn't used   
to climbing like this as I took noticed of a branch tearing a part of my dress.   
  
"Dammit," I said out loud, holding the piece of blood stained fabric up.   
  
I continued to climb until I was among the web of larger branches near the top. This was   
an orange tree as I took notice of it. I wasn't sure if this fruit was native to the village, but   
I took one anyway and ate it eagerly.  
  
This was where I was going to sleep.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
I was standing in an open grass field, a smooth warm breeze blowing. This was a dream I   
thought as I could see my mother in the distance, holding an infant close to her as she   
nursed it, the sun bathing down on her from the bluest sky you can imagine. I was that   
infant, held in her arms, cradled closely with affection. Within the moment, something   
appeared in the grass beside us, a shadow. The shadow cast by a feathered owl, one who   
was slinking towards my mother and I. He quickly snatched her purse that was lying in   
the grass beside her as his beak fluttered in laughter, but there was no sound. The dream   
was silent except for the whispering breeze. My mother could do nothing as she held me,   
a mere tear dripped off from her in silence, the strengthening wind catching it in the air   
and sending it away. A gun was pressed to her head, the piston cocked, a feathered finger   
around the trigger.  
  
"Wake up Sarah...."  
  
I flew up from my slumber before my head quickly contacted with a branch above me. I   
cried in pain and fell backwards out the tree landing in the grass below with a painful   
thud. I slowly got up being greeted by a dull pain in my back as I brushed myself off. It   
was still deep in the night, the moon was high in the sky bathing a cool soft light through   
the branches above.   
  
"She is watching..."  
  
I swerved around, catching a whisper that shot from behind me, but nothing was there.   
  
"She sees the corrupt..."  
  
I turned swiftly around again, hearing another whisper, but there was nothing there either.   
  
"Who's there?" I spoke nervously, my breath stuttering not with coldness but with fear.  
  
"I am," said the voice.   
  
A light appeared in front of me, faint at first, but growing in brightness as it began to   
bathe a light of its own on the trees and forest floor around it, including me. Soon it took   
the form of a person standing before me, brighter and brighter, until it was so bright I had   
to turn my eyes away from it. The brightness disappeared while my head was turned and   
my eyes returned to where the figure of light had shone from before.   
  
It was a person, a lady. She was a sheep, but there was something about her. She was   
partially transparent and a pale white color. This couldn't be...  
  
"Are you... a ghost?"  
  
"I am many things my dear Sarah, but there is no time to discuss. You are in grave   
danger."  
  
"What is your name?" I asked with an even more nervous twinge in my voice. I was   
astounded by what laid before me. I had never seen anything like this, a spirit, a voice   
from the great beyond. I had to learn more about her.   
  
"My name is...Eunice." She moved closer to me as I stared in awe.   
  
"They almost got to you Sarah, the ones who feed off greed and avarice, the ones who   
indulge in their desires for monetary means above all else. But you are smart, quick, and   
bright. That is why I am standing here before you now."  
  
"What do you want from me?" I asked defensively. I didn't like how this Eunice   
character seemed to know a lot about me. It made me uncomfortable, she was a ghost   
after all.   
  
"You have the power to end all of this Sarah, to restore Brighton to its original glory, but   
it will not be easy. You will have to accomplish many tasks very soon for you to   
succeed."  
  
"I figured this place couldn't have always been like this," I said absently.  
  
"No...It certainly wasn't," came another voice. Another light beamed out from next to   
Eunice, taking the form of a cat. After it dimmed to a normal luminosity I realized it was   
another ghost.   
  
"Forgive me. I am Mitzi."  
  
Eunice nodded slowly, "Mitzi and I died before we could figure out the truth behind the   
atrocities that were occurring around us here in Brighton, but we both believe that you   
can uncover the village from the darkness that cloaks it."  
  
I looked back and forth between the two pale wispy figures. This was insane, I was being   
handed a mission by two ghosts to save a village? This must have been another dream, or   
maybe I fell out of that tree a little too hard and my mind was wandering in hallucination.   
  
"This isn't real is it...?"  
  
Eunice came close to a laugh, "No my dear, we are quite real, however, not in the sense   
of real that you would define."  
  
I smiled in return, "What do I have to do?"  
  
Mitzi stepped forward with a deep look of thought on her pale face, "You must go to the   
museum and retrieve the records on our original mayor who went by the name of   
Tortimer."  
  
I shook my head in doubt of doing that.  
  
"Allow me to explain," added Eunice feverishly. "The new mayor of Brighton, who goes   
by the name of Blathers, is the corrupt ring leader that is responsible for all that is   
happening around you."  
  
"What about the old mayor? Did he have any part in this?"  
  
Mitzi shook her head, "We originally thought that all the chaos that was occurring around   
us was the knee jerk reaction of Tortimer's actions, such as his new tax plan and greedy   
policies, but we later learned after dying that Tortimer had died long before anyone had   
thought he did. Blathers was the one instigating things like the tax plan and simply   
siphoning the money to himself through the means of our corrupt local police officer."  
  
Eunice stepped forward to continue, "Essentially, Blathers had taken control of Brighton   
long before anyone thought he did. Tortimer was dead months before I was killed, but I   
thought he had died the same day I did. I saw his body....hanging from a tree...."  
  
Her voice turned shaky with distress, "...by the wishing well. I thought he had just died,   
but Blather's planted the six month old carcass there for all the villagers to see. I was   
killed shortly thereafter."  
  
Mitzi stepped back and looked away, "Unfortunately I died a few weeks before Eunice   
did. My affectionate partner Vladimir...," she added sarcastically, "...killed me for my   
money that I thought I had kept secret, but Eunice and I still share the same knowledge   
even though I had a more premature death."  
  
I took all this in as much as I could, trying to process it. This village sounded like it was   
enshrouded in mystery and anarchy. An oddity for what was supposed to be a simple life   
for its citizens. It had simple homes, simple trees, a simple river, a simple train station,   
and a simple shopkeeper. Well...a simple deceased shopkeeper, but the rabbit hole went   
much deeper than the imagination could handle. Chaos, greed, murder, destruction...all   
elements connected with Brighton in a malicious sisterly manner.   
  
"What do you want me to do with these records of Tortimer?"  
  
"Those records have the true date of Tortimer's death which plays a key role in shining   
the light on this mystery. They're in the museum's vault so it won't be easy getting to   
them." Eunice glanced at Mitzi as she continued,"After you get them you will take them   
to the post office and mail them to the village of Luton which is the closest village from   
here. With it, you will include a letter addressed to the mayor of that town with   
everything we have told you. The mayor there was not close with Tortimer but I think the   
letter and the 6 month gap between when Tortimer died and when Blathers became   
mayor of Brighton should tell him enough that there was a fraudulent power conspiracy   
in this village."  
  
"Hopefully your letter will alert him to send law officials quickly. We must go now,"   
added Mitzi, "But remember, the combination to the vault in the museum is 4, 4, 4.   
Remember that number Sarah."  
  
They both began to fade away, "And remember, stay away from open areas, people, other   
villagers. They are all victims of greed Sarah...all of them..."  
  
"...We wish you luck..." And with that they both disappeared completely from view with   
a blinding flash and the forest around me went silent under the full moon.  
  
Great...I've now been instilled with the duty of saving the entire population of a village   
from themselves by two ghosts who died before I even got here...  
  
"Why me...?"  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Sorry for the long delay. I was working feverishly on another fan-fic which I have just   
recently finished. So that means I'll have more time to spend with this one, which I'm   
having lots of fun writing. Thanks for reading! Part VI should be coming soon hopefully. 


	6. The Mission

Part VI: The Mission  
  
[3rd person POV- The next morning]  
  
[A/N] Sorry for the long delay. I got caught up in other things. I've also changed to formal paragraph format for easy printing. Enjoy!  
  
===~*~===  
  
Sarah's head rose slowly from the bushes, catching sight of the Museum's front door. The sun had just risen in the eastern horizon spraying the sky a rich pink color, deeper reds in the west. It was definitely bizarre looking thought Sarah as she eyed the atmosphere above her, the ominous red color bearing down on her. It was time to do this mission she mused. It was time to set things right in Brighton. Eunice and Mitzi have entrusted her with this duty to save the village from itself, now all she needed was the strength to go through with it. She came to Brighton because she was running away from home and now second thoughts crossed her mind. Perhaps life would have been simpler if she had stayed. There was no time to fathom the what if.  
An owl with a large burlap sack caught her attention as he approached the large museum doors. Perhaps he was the curator. He reached into his vest pocket and produced a key, using it to open one of the doors. Before Sarah could blink twice, he had disappeared. She had to find a way in. Carefully she scanned over the area until she noticed a tall peach tree that hung over toward the roof of the building. That was it. That was her key in.  
As she climbed up the trunk muttering to herself she remembered how much she had hated trees, the ache in her back quickly reminding her of her fall last night. But she wasn't going to let that deter her from what was at stake. She crawled across a branch, now high above the ground. It was the branch that hooked over to the roof giving a nice way point to where she wanted to go. She didn't quite know what she was going to do once she got on the roof though. As she leaned off the branch, the tip of her toe touching the roof, she made sure to keep her balance as not to fall. It would be a brutal fall and that would be that. No more Sarah, and certainly no more Brighton judging from its decay. Something had to change and she was going to change it.  
She crawled across the roof toward a ventilation box. There was a metal grate covering the opening, just perfect for her size to get in. She yanked it off trying not to make too much noise. A bird passed over squawking at her. She looked up, the redness of the sky suddenly frightening her. Without much more thought she jumped in suddenly finding nothing below her. She held her breath not to scream as she slid down the nearly vertical shaft. Down and down it went, curving around like a snake as she banged through it. She suddenly felt dizzy, desperately scratching at the sides to stop herself. She finally hit the bottom a loud bang echoing through the entire shaft. She stayed silent for a moment not moving, trying to regain her senses. She hadn't realized it at first but there was light coming from somewhere. She was crouched on all fours, the vent was just large enough for her in this position. Where was this light coming from? Sarah continued to crawl toward the source, trying to find a way into the museum. The dull glow was coming from another vent grate. She looked down through it to see a green and white tiled floor of pure marble below her. It was definitely fancy so it was probably the museum's foyer. She pulled the grate off and gently placed it aside trying not to make any more noise. She had seen that owl had come in before; he was probably still somewhere in the small museum. Stealth would have to be her asset in this mission. She slipped out the vent and landed on the floor with the click of her shoes. Her simple dress was ruffled and dusty now as she patted it off. Quickly, Sarah realized how much in the open she was. She was standing right in front of a large clock, taking notice of the loud ticking sound it made. In response she quickly rushed over to a darker wing to the right.  
Fish tanks were everywhere before her, the water bathing the area in a blue glow. This must be the aquarium wing. However the tanks were empty, not one fish to be seen. Even the larger tanks in the back were devoid of any marine life. How was she going to find this vault? If only Eunice or someone could help her, she didn't know where to go. Suddenly she started panicking, remembering the day before when that raccoon was shot through the chest. What if that happened to her, what if she became like him. She didn't have any money on her, but if they catch her, they'd still probably kill her. She felt vulnerable.  
"Relax," came a voice. It startled her but she didn't scream, merely gasping for air as her spine went stiff. Another glow was added to the room, a softer white one becoming brighter. Eunice appeared in front of her, smiling gently. "Don't be afraid Sarah. You're almost there."  
"I don't know where to go!" she whispered anxiously toward the ghost.  
  
Eunice nodded calmly. She was relaxed, tranquil as though she knew everything was going to fine. Everything did not feel fine to Sarah thought. The ghost drifted over to the wall in the back. "Come closer Sarah." The girl complied and paced over to the wall, still keeping some distance from the ghost. Her presence still made her uncomfortable even if she was forced to trust her. "What do you see?" Sarah strained her eyes. There was a lever, small, almost unnoticeable. It was the same color as the stone wall and nearly impossible to distinguish. The glow from Eunice however made it easier to make out. "Pull it," the ghost commanded.  
Sarah complied and gave the blue lever a yank. A door sized portion of the wall suddenly came to life, pushing back slowly with a rumble. Sarah's eyes widened as Eunice grinned. The portion then slid open behind the rest of the wall. A sudden yellow glow filled Sarah's eyes. The gold light reflected and shimmered around the large fish tanks creating a dazzling sight. The room before Sarah was filled with thousands upon thousands of bells, the currency of their land. The small coins were made of pure gold. Sarah looked back toward Eunice, but the ghost was gone. Her eyes glanced back to the room. There was a large steel vault in the center surrounded by piles of gold coins. Some of these are probably mine Sarah mused. She scooped a handful and placed them in her dress pocket. She skipped over to the vault as the door behind her groaned closed. At first she almost went hysterical, but quickly noticed a lever on the inside to open the door. She relaxed and returned her attention to the vault. She remembered back to when Mitzi had told her the combination was 4, 4, 4. The number was still echoing through her mind. There were three gold knobs on the steel door with the numbers 1 through 9 etched in beautiful cursive on them. Three arrows pointed at the top. She figured she had to match up the numbers to the arrows.  
Quickly she cranked the first knob til the number read four. That wasn't so hard she thought. She felt more relieved turning the other knob til the number 4 matched the arrow. She heard a click. The lock must have been opening up a little, only one number to go. She suddenly heard a rumble. The click wasn't for the vault, it was for the room's door! She turned around seeing the hidden door was suddenly moving back. Someone was coming in! Frantically she looked around, she needed somewhere to hide. She saw several tall cabinets that reached up to the ceiling, probably filled with more riches. She pulled open one of its doors and noticed it was a closet for fancy gowns and suits. She crowded in and pulled the door closed suddenly hearing the room's door click to a rest in its open position.  
A cheery whistle greeted her ears along with footsteps as she tried to breathe quietly. The panic was setting now, like a slow ooze that starts at the top of your head and seeps down your body. She was shaking now as she peeked through the crack in the cabinet door seeing the owl look around. A smile was etched across his beak.  
"Oh Blather's you are truly something else," he said in a happy tone. Sarah's eyes widened even more as she put a hand over her mouth. This was the Blather's Eunice and Mitzi told her about, the Blather's that was the epicenter to the calamity. She sunk back into the gowns and suits that were on coat hangers feeling her legs grow weak. Suddenly the bird went very quiet, too quiet. She peeked through the crack in the door to see. He was looking at the vault scanning over the knobs. Two of the numbers were on 4. Oh no! She could hear her mind screaming. He moved his beak close to the knobs suddenly his tongue peeked out and he gave one a lick. His eyes narrowed and he licked again. He could taste the oddity in the gold, the hand that had turned it before. He stood up straight and looked around fervently. Sarah who was still holding her breath tried to stay as still as possible. She looked out the crack with terrified eyes. The owl produced a revolver from his vest holding it with an angry hand. He sniffed the air with an open beak carefully looking around. He made one step, his boot clicking loudly. He made a shorter sniff and his eyes locked on the cabinet. Sarah's eyes widened as her hand covered her mouth trying to hold in her fear but it was crawling all over her body, tingling through her insides.  
"I know you're in here, whoever you are. I give you the count of three to show yourself," he announced heavily. He took a step toward the cabinet still pointing the revolver at it. He was following her scent. "One." Sarah tried not to move, her body was as stiff as a mannequin. "Two," he cocked the revolver, now close enough to the cabinet to reach for the door. "Three." Sarah's shaking hand rose and tapped open the door. It slowly creaked open as she stood there with tears and fear etched all over her face. Blather's eyes met hers and he broke a smile.  
"Oh you stupid...stupid...girl." He shook his head still grinning. He still had the revolver raised at her face. "Move...now." She tried to move her legs but they felt like putty. Suddenly he grabbed her arm and yanked her out. She fell to the floor with a short cry. "Get up!" he commanded. She rose to a standing position.  
"You've made a fatal mistake Sarah." Her eyes widened. "Yes," he nodded slowly. "I know your name, no surprises there."  
"None of this belongs to you," she said sounding stupid and unconfident. He kept his finger on the trigger.  
"No I think you're very wrong Sarah. I just have one question before I kill you." He stayed silent and glanced around. "What exactly were you looking for? This room is filled with riches. You could have taken as much as you could and left, but instead you went for the vault."  
She shook her head. "Someone has to expose you."  
"The records..."he added softly. The owl nodded. "I see..." He paced around for a moment still keeping the gun toward her. He picked up a few gold coins that were in a pile by the vault and let them drip from his fingers. "I don't know who your sources are or how you know the combination, but..." He paused and suddenly smiled. "That doesn't matter anymore. I'm sorry Sarah. You have failed." He pulled the trigger, the blast of the gun chamber exploded and the shot rang out. Her eyes clenched shut.  
There was silence now, an odd silence. Sarah opened her eyes finding a bullet frozen in the air, inches from her face. Blather's smile faded to a look of shock as he held his smoking gun. Eunice was standing between them her glowing white hand raised toward the bullet but not quite touching it as though she were holding it with some ethereal power.  
"No..." Blather's gasped.  
"Oh yes," Eunice growled not looking at him, her eyes still locked on the bullet. Sarah stood there frozen her jaw quivering open just from the utter realization of seeing a bullet petrified in the air.  
Mitzi appeared, suddenly flying toward the shell-shocked owl, "Sarah! Get the records!" Her spirit barreled into Blather's knocking him over while passing through him. Sarah composed herself and ran toward the safe moving out of the bullet's way. Eunice relaxed and the bullet sped into the wall with a loud ping. Blathers leaped up but the ghostly sheep swung around and shoved him back as Mitzi grabbed his revolver and tossed it away. Sarah yanked the third knob to 4 and the lock clicked open. She pulled the thick metal door open seeing stacks of papers. She grabbed them and made a dash for the room's entrance pulling open the lever. The wall rumbled as it pushed back and slid open. She looked back and saw Blather's passed out but Eunice and Mitzi were gone. She didn't think twice as she ran out into the aquarium room, then the foyer, then out the front doors at last. It was already noon, the town clock ringing out its chime accordingly. An arrow whizzed past her head stabbing into the tree next to her. She looked around to see where it came from, suddenly seeing a canine police officer with a bow in his hand. He was growling and started loading another arrow. Sarah gasped and began running through the forest as fast as she could. She heard an owl's chirpy voice coming from behind her in the distance crying, "Stop her! Don't let her get away!"  
She gritted her teeth and ran, she kept running not stopping. She ran past the apple orchard, over a bridge by the waterfall, just running and running. She was trying to make it to the post office. She looked to her right as she ran. A bear with a rifle was aiming at her from a field as she ran across his sight. He pulled the trigger, and a bullet whizzed past her head. She kept running, an arrow flew past her again hitting the ground in front of her. She leapt into the air, her feet leaving the ground as she flew over the arrow. Her shoes met the grass again and she continued on as fast as she could. She entered a dense area of trees and foliage again still scampering to save herself. They were chasing her, the rustle of leaves resounding from behind her. She came to an opening in the trees with a cobblestone path that led to a building. A green sign with the words 'Post Office' adorned the wooden edifice. She caught her breath and rushed toward the door, throwing it open and leaping in. A click echoed through her ears as she felt the barrel of a gun press against her forehead. She looked up, her eyes catching the gleam of white feathers.  
"And what do you think you're doing?" came the female voice. It was the post-master, a white pelican standing before her. A revolver not unlike Blather's adorned her hand. Her aggressive demeanor contrasted the innocent white bow on her pink dress. Sarah froze still clenching the stack of papers tightly in her hands holding them to her chest protectively.  
"Give me those," she added carefully. Sarah stayed frozen. "GIVE them to me NOW!" she shouted making the girl twitch and stir. She slowly handed her the papers. Another pelican appeared, a male. He had a mail bag slung around his shoulder. She handed him the papers, while still keeping the gun pressed against Sarah's forehead. "Pete, get these to Luton as fast as you can."  
Sarah's face twisted in confusion. "You're...helping me?"  
"Of course I am," the pelican stated matter-of-factly.  
The door behind them blew open and a bear with a rifle came in howling. The pelican swung her aim toward him and opened fired, emptying six bullets from her revolver. Her face stayed calm as Vladimir groaned and fell to his knees.  
"Mitzi says hi," she added. She turned toward the stunned girl in front of her while reloading her gun. "Sarah you don't have much time. A train leaves in 2 minutes. You have to be on that train." She swung the chamber closed and cocked the gun.  
"How does everyone know my name?!" Sarah cried in shock.  
The pelican peeked through the half open door. "I'll cover you. C'mon..." she paused and looked back at the girl. "If you were wondering, I'm Pelly."  
  
The post office door flew open again smacking Copper in the face. Pelly stormed out and fired a shot at his leg causing the canine to collapse to the ground. The pelican grabbed Sarah and threw her to the side as a torrent of arrows hailed from the trees and stabbed into the wooden building around her. The girl cried and rolled over across the grass as Pelly rushed toward her and pulled her off the ground. Blathers appeared with a revolver across the river and started unloading rounds of bullets as Mabel rushed across the bridge with an axe rapidly approaching. Sarah screamed as Pelly yanked her away, the axe barely whizzing past her head and stabbing into the tree trunk beside her. The train blared loudly, the station was right there. Sarah was too dismayed to even move as Pelly dragged her through the station's arch.  
"C'mon!" shouted a monkey close by.  
"We're here Porter! Take the girl!" She shoved Sarah toward him and unloaded more rounds of bullets over the platform balcony keeping several villagers at bay. Blathers held his revolver with two hands, carefully aiming from a distance.  
Sarah shook her head slightly ducking as shouts of villagers could be heard. "I don't know why you've done it, but thank you for helping me."  
"I want change just as much as you do Sarah," Pelly stated, aiming her gun at a rabid looking cat with a shovel. Suddenly a puff of white feathers flew from Pelly's back. Sarah screamed as Porter pulled her back. "No! Pelly!" The pelican fell to her knees clenching her chest where she had been shot. Blathers smiled from across the river, congratulating himself on his good aim.  
"Let's go! There's no time!" Porter shouted. The train started moving as the monkey threw Sarah in. The doors shut as bullets bounced off them, even an arrow or two. Sarah held herself as she lay sprawled on the floor of the passenger compartment. It was over. She had gotten away. The train clicked across the tracks quickening its speed and soon enough she couldn't see the village anymore from the windows. Another monkey, the train's conductor, entered the compartment and kneeled beside the girl. "It's going to be alright. We're heading to Luton. They'll know about all of this by the time we get there." Sarah nodded and wiped her tears away. She looked down and noticed there was blood sprayed on floral print dress, even a few feathers. She hadn't even noticed it until now. Sarah didn't do anything though, merely sitting on the floor thinking about all that had happened. They'll get paid their deaths in the end Sarah promised, especially Blathers...  
  
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[A/N] I'll try to get this story done soon enough with no more monthly delays. Thanks for reading. 


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